VIDEO: Savannah goes for hopscotch record

Hopscotch participants extended several blocks south down Lincoln Street on Sunday afternoon as they attempted to break the world record.

Emma Hendrix, 7, exercises with three Hula hoops Sunday prior to the attempt to break the world record for most hopscotch participants.

Randy Thompson Photography/ For Savannah Morning News

DeDe Roberts of the Savannah YMCA coaches 5-year-old Alia Wilson in an exercise program known as box mania aerobics. This was one of many activities Sunday before the world record attempt for the most hopscotch participants.

Five-year-old Emma Lamb gets in some practice and a helping hand from her grandmother, Elizabeth Johnson, prior to Sunday’s attempt to break the world record for number of hopscotch paticipants.

“It feels awesome,” Hezekiah Williams said. “I can’t wait to see myself in the 2014 world record book. And I’ll be like, ‘Yeah, that was me. Uh-huh.’ It’s fun.”

The record attempt was a component of Sunday’s Play Street event, during which Lincoln Street from Gaston to Henry streets was closed to traffic to allow vendors, musicians and others space to entertain.

The first of four similar events planned for this year, Play Street was primarily funded through a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield for Georgia and the Partnership for a Healthier America.

Marr said the idea for attempting to break the hopscotch record came about as a fun and cheap way to entertain and keep children active, which is one of the focuses of the Play Street series.

“It really takes a lot longer to organize a world record attempt at simultaneous hopscotching than I would have guessed,” he said.

Though the event was a success, it wasn’t as much fun for one family that couldn’t get in once the hopscotch zone was at capacity.

April Garrity and her three children wanted to compete as a four-person team, but were disappointed they couldn’t get in.

“I didn’t know what to think,” said her 9-year-old daughter, Susanna. “It’s like we just waited and we were about to set a world record and it’s like my chance is gone. I’m not going to be famous now.”